MIFF 2026 - Josephine Review: A Masterpiece You’ll Never Want To See Again
Images courtesy of Madman Entertainment.
There are some movies where, by the time the end credits roll, the viewer is forced to sit for a while, take a few deep breaths, and collect themselves. There are some movies where, by the time the end credits roll, the viewer is aware that they have just witnessed something monumental. There are some movies where, by the time the end credits roll, the viewer will be bursting to recommend it to others but will never want to watch it again. Josephine, directed by Beth de Araújo, is one of those movies.
The screenplay, also written by de Araújo, is loosely based on an experience she had as a child. Before going into the details of the plot, acknowledgement needs to be given to de Araújo for her bravery in tackling what must be such personal and traumatic subject matter for her. The film is told from the point of view of Josephine (Mason Reeves), an eight-year-old girl who loves soccer, and trains with her dad (Channing Tatum) early every Sunday morning at Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. One morning, she witnesses the brutal sexual assault/rape of a female jogger (Syra McCarthy). Having no idea what she has just seen but knowing there is something wrong about it, Josephine finds herself with questions no child should ever have, and begins to act out at home and school. Her dad and mother (Gemma Chan) struggle to approach the topic and make Josephine feel safe again. Although they try their best, they are not equipped to explain something so mature and complicated to an innocent child. How could any parents be?
Heavy is an understatement to describe Josephine. This is a heart wrenching, terrifying and absolutely devastating film that will haunt audiences long after they leave the cinema. Thankfully, de Araújo manages to make it stomachable by handling this tricky territory with empathy, humanity, and somehow even a little bit of hope among the darkness. The film does a masterful job of exploring the twisted complexities of the situation, particularly the impact on Josephine and her parents. Damien (Tatum) and Claire (Chan) have very different parental approaches, with the former being tougher and more direct to help his daughter build resilience, while the latter is more gentle but sugarcoats things in order to protect Josephine. They are both imperfect, as any parents would be in such difficult circumstances. Both actors are great, but Tatum notably delivers the best work of his career and truly steps out of his pretty boy typecasting.
What the film also succeeds at is portraying just how impressionable children are. As the experience leaves Josephine incredibly confused, she is forced to come up with her own assumptions. This is best demonstrated when Josephine starts using the word ‘rape’ at school without knowing its true meaning, or when she starts to distrust all the men in her life. Referring to the rapist simply as ‘the man in the park’ (Philip Ettinger), Josephine is followed by a ghostly manifestation of the perpetrator who silently sits in her room and watches her. These moments are absolutely bone-chilling and expertly encapsulate the depth of her fear.
One of the film’s more controversial points will be its opening act, which explicitly shows the sexual assault in an extended sequence. It is highly disturbing and sickening to watch, and while violence against women seems to be excessively present in modern media for shock value, it doesn’t feel like the case here. The whole film is told from Josephine’s naive point of view, and the audience witnesses things exactly as she does. The details of the assault become a key part of the plot, from the troubling behaviours that Josephine adopts, to the police investigation itself. It is key to understanding how the film plays out and allows us to fully feel the impact the event has on Josephine. This might be the one time where a sexual assault scene is actually pivotal for the film to work as a whole, as controversial as that may sound.
While Josephine may have big names like Tatum in its cast, a star is born with Reeves playing the titular role. It is not an overstatement to say that this is one of the best child performances of all time—Reeves is acting beyond her years and with such maturity, which feels like a parallel journey with the loss of innocence her character is forced to confront. She is a revelation and should receive every praise, including an Oscar nomination in a perfect world.
Josephine is a masterpiece you’ll never want to experience again, and a stark reminder that no matter how hard we try, there is no guarantee that we can protect those we love from the violent world we live in.
Josephine screened at the 74th Melbourne International Film Festival. For more information, click here.
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